Devious Deceit
by AliceOfMusic
Summary: Max is Lucifer's daughter, the forbidden child. She was sent on a mission to steal a child's heart just to prove her worth. Iggy and Fang are Guardian Angels sent to protect the child and stop Max. They cross paths as humans and don't realize who's who. Iggy and Max finally meet, and Fang falls head over heels in love. For the "enemy" that is his best friend's twin.
1. Angels and Demons

**Me: This is my third story in the Maximum Ride Archive!**

**Disclaimer: I own Maximum Ride in my _dreams_. So no.**

**Enjoy, readers.**

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Max POV

Ugh, I hate my human disguise.

I'm almost always uncomfortable in dresses and heels, and this was no exception to that. I despise wearing these infernal things, but of course my father payed no heed to my words.

My father, Lucifer. Or commonly known on Earth as the Devil. Yeah, I'm Lucifer's spawn. The Devil re-incarnated, basically. Now, I've never known my mother. All I know is that she was an angel. Yep, I'm the forbidden child of an angel and a demon. Apparently, I have a twin brother who was born the angel. I was born the demon.

In other words, I've never met my mom or brother. I'm looking forward to, since now I am on a mission ordered by my father.

I'm supposed to find the one with the golden heart and steal it. On the way, I might as well see if I can find my missing family members. Lucifer told me that the one with the pure gold heart is a child. A child at the age of 8.

I hope I can complete this mission successfully. Then I could prove my worth the royal family of Hell. They sneer at me, for they think I am useless and only troublesome. But I'm not. I'll show them.

I'll steal that gold heart from that child.

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Iggy POV

It's my job to protect.

My new mission, issued to me by God, was to protect the kid that was targeted by the demons. That child had a golden heart and was in grave danger for what was to come.

"Iggy, you and Fang will take care of the child. But first, you must find the child. Protect the child from what is in store," God told us.

"How come you won't tell us the gender of the kid? It would make the search _much_ easier," Fang said. I nodded in agreement. It would; there are millions of kids on Earth.

"I wish I could. But the demon that was sent to Earth does not know the gender of the child either," God sighed. I groaned. How are we supposed to do this now?

"One thing. I _do_ know the name of the demon. She's the forbidden twin of you, Iggy," God added.

"She. So the demon is female? And my twin sister?" I heard myself asking. I did hear about this story from my mom. About her falling for the Devil, having us twins, having to separate. I had a younger twin sister down in Hell.

And she's the one who was sent on the mission to steal the heart.

"Yes. Her name is Maximum Ride, but she goes by Max," God explained to me. I nodded, thinking it was helpful information. Not many girls are named Max, nonetheless Maximum Ride.

"Can you tell us what her human form looks like?" Fang asked. He's always trying to get hints or clues out of God.

"No, I am sorry to say. Lucifer and I made a deal to not reveal details about those in our realms," God spoke.

"Fine. We'll find her and stop her. C'mon, Iggy," Fang stated as he marched out.

"Thank you for telling us as much as you can," I remarked to God. What? Someone has to be thankful.

"You are welcome, Iggy," God smiled. I was half-way out the door when God called for me again.

"Iggy?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him.

"Be very careful. Max is quite dangerous," God offered the piece of information.

"Of course." I turned again and left to find Fang.

Oh boy. This will be an adventure.

"First things first. We've gotta find the kid."

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**That last line was said by Iggy, in case you wanted to know.**


	2. Lumina Phoenix

**Me: Hey hey! Not a lot of people seem to know that I've got a new story. Spread the word!**

**Disclaimer: Me? Ha! Yeah right. I don't own MR.**

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Max POV

Finally landed on Earth. What? It's a long trip from Hell to the land above us. Lucifer's personal maids kept changing my clothes from my usual tomboy style to girly girl. That's why it took so long. It's hard flying with black wings on your back when you have on a skirt/dress.

My dad often joked about how I looked like a deformed angel, which by the way, is an insult to demons.

"Max. Can you hear me?" my earphone rang. I sighed and pressed one of the buttons.

"Yeah, I can hear fine. What's new?"

"Seems like God gave away some info about your name, so I'll give you the angels' names," a voice came out of my earphone.

"Angels? The big guy's sending angels after me?" I questioned, peeved.

"Yep. The angel's names are Iggy and Fang." Iggy? I've heard that name before from my father.

"Iggy as in my forbidden twin that's an angel?" I deadpanned.

"Mhm. That's right," the voice spoke to me.

"Do you know what they look like, Dad?" I asked. Yes, it _was _my dad speaking to me through an earphone.

"Of course I do. I'm the Devil. But I can't tell you."

"Why not? I got their names. I should at least get their descriptions," I groaned. He always has to make this harder than it should be.

"Can't. Deal with His Highness." Ah, that makes sense.

"Can I get the gender of the kid I'm looking for, then?" I inquired.

"Can't say that either. But I know the gender of the angels. Male," I could hear a slight chuckle come from him.

"Not funny." I could hear his chuckles growing louder.

"Have fun, Max." My dad hung up on me.

Yep, looking for a random kid and stealing his/her heart is _really_ _fun_.

* * *

I'm somewhere near New York. That's all I know. I was in a really busy city. Maybe NYC, but who knows? I definitely don't.

Anyway, Lucifer told me that I had to pick a 'human' and 'normal' name. What's more normal than Max? Well, it's not really normal having a girl named Max. But whatever. I do what I'm told. Sometimes.

I chose the name Lumina. Don't ask me why, I have no clue. The name appeals to me. My surname is Phoenix.

Lumina Phoenix. Nice name, huh? It has a nice ring to it. My nickname will be Luna, made by taking out the M and I in the name.

Another thing, I've gotta enter a school. A high school. My human age is 16, but in reality I'm only 8. Yep, I'm a 8-year-old in Hell. We age twice as quick as humans; you just have to double our demon age.

I really find myself amazing sometimes. I think and act like a 16-year-old. I talk like one, too. The downside? I have to steal a _heart _from _another _8-year-old, which would kill the kid.

So here I am, standing in front of Quinn Willow High. Weird name, all right. But I'm not one to talk. Anyway, I just walked straight inside with my head held high. I'm not afraid of some measly school.

"Are you Lumina Phoenix?" a voice startled me. I turned to see two boys at the entrance behind me, which I recently passed through.

"Yeah, what's it to you?" I snapped, showing that I shouldn't be messed with.

One of the boys, the pale one, held up his hands as if to tell my to calm down. The other boy, the one with olive skin, chucked.

"Nothing, we're supposed to show you around Quinn Willow High," the olive-skinned boy said.

"I'm Nick," the olive-skinned boy said.

"James." I shifted my head to see that the pale boy spoke and had his hand out, waiting for me to shake it. I did, and when I grabbed his hand, electric sparks shot down my spine.

What the heck?

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**Yep, Max or "Lumina" has met Fang and Iggy. Fang or "Nick" and Iggy or "James."**


	3. James Jay

**Me: Hello! I hope you enjoyed the previous chapters!**

**iLoOoVeOrAnGe- I know, I know. It's kinda obvious. But wait! The 2nd chapter was in Max's POV.**

**Dreamin'OfABlondeFang- Thanks! And your dream about a blonde Fang will come true in this story :)**

**Dancer4life1313- Thanks, I took a long time picking out her name.**

**Disclaimer: I no own Max Ride or series. That's _all_ JP.**

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Iggy (James) POV

Some new girl is at our school. Lumina Phoenix. Now tell me that isn't a strange name. It's even stranger than Maximum Ride.

Back to the situation at hand.

My arm felt tingly and my heart started to race when I shook Lumina's hand. No, it's not from love. I mean, she _is_ pretty. Long black hair that she puts in a high ponytail, mesmerizing dark blue eyes, a thin figure, and lightly tanned skin makes her quite beautiful.

But I've got a girlfriend already in Heaven. An angel with the name of Ella.

Anyway, Lumina was a weird girl. Not that I'm not weird either. I'm a Guardian Angel! God made Fang and I pick human names for our quest. Mine was James. James Bond.

Nah, just kidding. It was James Jay.

Fang was Nick Aries.

Yeah, our names are pretty weird. Just the surnames, though. The funny thing? Lumina and I both have birds' names as our last names. Mere coincidence.

I think. Whatever.

I dragged Lumina around while Fang started to walk upstairs to our homeroom. The thing about this school, it didn't matter about alphabetical order. They put us in classes by our grades. Fang and I were in the same homeroom, Class A, since we had the same grades. Really good grades.

Lumina was in our homeroom, too. I guess she's as smart as us. It doesn't really surprise me, since Lumina looks intelligent.

Fang stopped abruptly, making me bump into him. I flipped my brown hair out of my electric green eyes. Now, my original hair color is strawberry blonde, and my eyes are originally dark blue. But God made Fang and I change our appearances before we came down to Earth. _Fang_ had _blonde_ hair and _hazel_ eyes. Funny, I know. Fang's usually an all-out-black kind of guy. Seeing him with blonde hair everyday makes my stomach hurt so much from laughing.

Pretty unusual.

"Earth to James." Someone snapped their fingers in front of my face.

"Huh?" Man, I get distracted easily.

Lumina rolled her eyes. "Quite zoning out."

"I am not!" I defended.

"Sure, James. Lumina, this is our homeroom. You're in Class A with us, so you can ask us questions," Fang said. Well isn't he talkative. Get used to it, this is the longest sentence he'll ever say.

Lumina nodded. "Where's my schedule?"

"Schedule? We don't have schedules at this school, since we stay in the same class all day except for gym and lunch," I replied.

"That's awesome," Lumina deadpanned. At least she has a sense of humor.

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Max (Lumina) POV

That James is weird but funny. Nick is actually pretty silent in comparison to his looks.

Lucifer made me change my appearances, basically my hair and eye color. I chose long black hair with side bangs and kept my dark blue eye color, but I changed my skin color. It was lighter than my usual tan, but my pigment was still lightly tanned.

All day I've followed James and/or Nick around like a baby bird following her mamma. I've received numerous glares, most of them coming from a red-haired girl and her blonde friend. Both of them didn't look _that_ disgusting, like I expected, but they weren't drop-dead gorgeous either.

The red-haired girl had copper red hair and blue-grey eyes. Her hair was wavy and roughly cut off at her shoulders, giving her a messy look. And the girl had black streaks in parts of her hair. She had bangs that were covering some of her forehead. The girl was really skinny, making her look almost anorexic.

The blonde friend had light blonde hair and eyes that had swirls of green and blue. She had little ringlets and black highlights in her hair, kinda like the red-head. Blondie kept her hair parted in the middle. This girl wasn't as skinny as the red-head, but I could tell she was trying too hard.

Both girls were definitely wannabes that wanted to be James's and/or Nick's girlfriend. Ha, in their dreams. I scoffed to myself at that atrocious idea.

Red-head and Blondie marched up to me when James and Nick left.

"Lumina Phoenix, we want to talk to you."

I slowly turned with and lifted and eyebrow.

What could _they_ want?

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**Sorry for not updating in such a long time! I was just stumped on ideas and a little pissed since Fanfiction took down _Me_ _or_ _Her_. **

**If you wanna know what Blondie's hair looks like, go under Google and type 'Jessica SNSD Run Devil Run Hairstyle,' and you should see it since it's the first few pictures.**

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**~AliceOfMusic**


	4. Blue Quartz

**Wow, I haven't updated in a long time! I had to delete Danger, I apologize if you liked it. I thought the writing was mediocre, and there really isn't a point in having a sequel when the story before was deleted.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, never will own.**

**I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING!**

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Max (Lumina) POV

"Okay, so talk to me. You're wasting precious time here, girls," I replied, being quite hostile. Blondie scoffed while Red just flipped her hair. Obviously, nobody's talked to these two like that.

"Look, _newbie_. You don't talk to us like that _or_ do you cling onto Nick and James," Blondie hissed. Ah, I was right. Soon enough, Blondie and Red are gonna form some kind of fan club for Nick and James. You know, unless they already have.

"Who says? This is a _free_ country," I stated.

"I say since I'm the _Queen _of this school," Red sneered. "You probably know me already, but since you're new, I'll introduce myself. I'm Lissa Taylor, and the blonde is my best friend Brigid Dwyler."

"I _really_ _care_," I deadpanned. Brigid scoffed, and Lissa took a step forward.

"This is the last straw. Either you listen to us or-"

"Or _what_?" I flicked my black bangs out of my face, clearly showing my eyes in a full-blown glare.

"Or-or we'll tell Nick and James! Yeah, that's what we'll do. Then we'll see how famous you are among them," Brigid said, her shoulders shaking and cowering in fear.

"_Please_. Do whatever. I could seriously care less about them and what they think. So if you'd excuse me." I passed the both of them and went back to the classroom.

"You're going to regret this! You'll regret ever showing your face at Quinn Willow High!" I heard Blondie and Red screech after me as I left. Sigh. Idiots- can't live with them and can't live without 'em.

"So... What was up with them?" James asked when I was spotted in the doorway.

"Oh, nothing really. Just wanted me to stop talking to you guys," I shrugged casually, as if this happened everyday.

"You didn't agree, did you?" Nick asked me. I gave him the 'Are-you-stupid?' look. He nodded since he now understood.

"So, Lumina, why'd you transfer here in the middle of the school year?" James asked doubtfully.

"Complicated. Don't wanna talk 'bout it." I shrugged, brushing off the question. Nick had narrowed his eyes at me- must be getting suspicious.

"Okay," James drawled. "I can literally _feel _the tension." I stared at him for a while and started to chuckle.

"You idiot." I was full out laughing now, and the boys stared at me for a long time. Then James cracked a grin, and Nick had a smirk.

-Time Skip After School-

"Max, I am your father!" My earpiece rang. Yes, that stupid line from Star Wars is my ring for my dad. You could hear cackling on the other line when I picked up.

"Yes, O Demon Highness?" I answered.

"I cracked a code," my dad replied.

I blinked with confusion. I had no idea what this guy was talking about. "What?"

"That means that I've got some new info for you," he sighed.

"Oh, good. What is it?" I asked, now interested.

"Well, if you'd let me talk, I'd tell you," he said.

"Just get on with it, old man," I irritatingly stated.

"Fine. Party pooper. You're absolutely no fun. Complete opposite of your brother; so serious," I heard him mutter to himself, probably intending for me to hear.

I rolled my eyes. "What's the 'big news'?"

"I figured out how you'll know which kid it is. You remember, the gold heart ya gotta steal. 'Member? You 'member."

"Quit the act and just tell me." I grew weary and tired of his joking.

"Again, completely boring. Anyway, you know that necklace you wear? The silver one?"

Of course I knew. How could I not? It was on _my_ neck, after all. "Yes."

"Well, the blue quartz jewel pendant starts to glow when you come near the kiddo. That ought to be a big clue," my dad informed. That's some good stuff to know.

"Thanks for telling me, Dad. You're actually of use this time around."

"Of course I am, Maximum. Well, see ya around." And then he hung up on me. Ugh, I hate it when he uses my full name.

Guess I just gotta walk around near kids and wait for the jewel to glow. Man, I can't wait to get over with this mission and show my dad's family what I'm made of. Gotta wait till the jewel starts to get all radiant and shiny-like.

Man, how long'll that take?

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**Guys, sorry about the short chapter. But I promise I'll make the next one longer. I just felt that I had to update today cause you guys were waiting for so long.**

**... I don't really like this chapter that much. Kinda boring and plain, if ya ask me. Oh well.**

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	5. Identities Revealed

**Sorry, it took me forever to update! I was on a stump for awhile...**

**Disclaimer: I'm not James Patterson so... nope.**

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Fang POV

It's been days, but no sign of the demon twin or the golden-hearted kid. I'm getting bored; maybe I should drop this quest soon and just let Iggy handle it himself.

"Oh no you don't. You're not gonna tuck your tail between your legs and coward away, Fang," Iggy hissed behind me. As if he can read my mind, he knew it was possible for me to leave him.

"I never said that."

"You didn't even have to. You were emitting auras of 'I don't wanna be here,' ya know." Well, that explains why.

"You have to admit it. It's getting boring now."

"Whatever. But if you abandon this, I'll send you to Hell personally."

Well then.

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Max POV

My necklace started to glow around the time I passed over California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas before I noticed it. I had been taking a break from high school and was flying around the States. That narrows down the search quite a bit.

I sighed and lowered myself down a little in the air. I was back to my normal appearance, so I didn't have to worry about being recognized by anyone.

But the universe just loves proving me wrong.

Two pure white sets of wings flapped in the distance. They contrasted with my black wings, especially in the night sky. What were the angels doing here? Seriously. Did the Big Guy tip off my location or something? I didn't expect to see them so soon.

"Hey Fang! Did you see that pair of black wings, or is it just my imagination?" I heard a male voice shout. I mentally panicked and thought of ways to get away without being noticed.

"It's not just you. I saw it too." Another male voice, 'Fang', called. I swiftly swooped down and used my super speed to shoot pass them.

"Follow them!" the first male voice yelled. Two pairs of white wings were following my black ones, and I silently cursed them for not just staying where they were. If I stilled at a safe distance, my wings would blend in with the darkness and help me stay safe and hidden. But I can't do that because two Guardian Angels were chasing me around.

"Hey! You there! Wait up!" I heard Iggy call out.

"Now _why_ would she do that?" Fang scoffed. I heard Iggy mutter a "Shut up!" before he elbowed Fang's side.

"Just help me catch her, will you? Or at least _try_?" Iggy said and flew after me.

"Yeah, sure."

I could hear the beating of their wings and practically feel some of the air being pushed toward me. I had been flying for over two hours earlier, and this was starting to drain my energy. I should've just stayed at my temporary house. My thoughts completely entranced me, and I slowed down, forgetting that I was being chased.

"Hey, she stopped. Maybe now we can talk to her."

Two arms grabbed both of mine at the same time and spun me around. I came face-to-face with a boy that was dressed as midnight itself, excluding the white wings, and a boy that was practically light.

"Hey, there. I'm Fang. You probably already know that, considering that our bosses like to tell on each other," the midnight boy said. He completely contrasted his white wings, it was almost ironic as to why he just wasn't a demon like me.

"I'm Iggy. Nice to finally meet ya, sis," the light boy stuck his hand out, smiled, and waved. He was living up to the title 'Guardian Angel'; Iggy was dressed lighter clothes than Fang and me.

"Maximum Ride. Demon extraordinare. Daughter of Lucifer himself. And Iggy's sister," I replied. I might've looked calm on the outside, but on the inside I was slightly freaking out. This guy was my twin brother. I could see the resemblance since both of us took after our mom. The same familiar strawberry blonde hair, bright ultramarine blue eyes, light skin, and stubbornness. Although the stubbornness was something I mostly got from Dad.

"So tell me, sis, did you find that kid yet?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'm not gonna tip you off."

"Aw, c'mon. We need some hints on this!"

"So do I. Stop complaining. You have two people on your side. There's only one on mine. And that's me."

"You're being so mean to your long lost brother!"

"And _you're_ acting like a child. Stop your whining and suck it up." I turned to Fang. "How do you deal with him most of the time?"

Fang shrugged and said, "_I_ don't even know. It's easier to just block him out-"

"Hey!" Iggy protested.

"-Or ignore him. Either way works," Fang continued.

"Ah. Nice to know my big brother's in good hands," I said almost mockingly.

"I'm still here, ya know! I'm not invisible!" Iggy yelled frustratingly.

We continued to ignore him. "So, you got any leads on the kid?" I asked Fang. He shook his head no. "Oh well, it was worth a try."

_"Max, I am your father!"_ My earpiece rang again. Iggy and Fang looked around, confused from where that was coming from. Chuckling, I pressed a button on the earpiece before speaking into it.

"Yes, sir Demon Almighty?" The boys' eyes widened. I motioned for them to be quiet and come closer.

"I see that you've met your brother?"

"Yep. He's doing pretty well."

"Heya, Dad!" Iggy shouted into my ear and the earpiece. I flinched and put it on speaker.

"Hello, Iggy. Try not to burst Max's ear drums or mine for that matter. We need them."

"Ha ha, yessir," Iggy laughed.

"Now do you see what I mean, Max? You're too serious."

"And you're too childish for your age, old man," I retorted.

"Aw, Maxie's being mean to me again," my dad whined.

"Shuddup. You got your chance to talk to Iggy. Why'd you call?"

"No reason, really. I just wanted to talk to Iggy. Okay, goodbye and good luck my children!" The earpiece turned off.

"Geez. Like father, like son much?" I scoffed.

"I take offense in that comment."

"You're supposed to."

"Oh," Iggy pouted.

I turned to leave. "See you guys. Maybe. Not that I'd want for you to get in my way." And with that, I flew away, back to my apartment. Once inside, I collapsed onto my bed. I dragged myself to the bathroom, took a shower, and brushed my teeth.

I fell asleep when my face hit the pillow.

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**That's the chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Thanks Skatzaa for telling me that I put the wrong chapter up. (Face-palm) I felt so stupid, I was laughing really hard.**

**Like it? Hate it? Love it? R&R! :)**


	6. Newtown, Connecticut

**Author's**** Note: **Sorry for the long wait, you guys. Enjoy the chapter :)

**DISCLAIMER: **I would never, ever own MR. Just saying.

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**Devious Deceit**

**Chapter 6: Newtown, Connecticut**

**Iggy POV**

My sister is really boring. I mean, I'm really glad to see her and all, but she's nothing like me. Complete opposites. I'm laid-back, she's uptight; I'm awesome, she's... eh. Honestly, I wouldn't even know we were siblings except the fact that we should look a little similar.

I was following Fang in the hallways of school when he suddenly stopped. I, being zoned out as usual, bumped my head into his and almost tripped and hit the wall. I rubbed my newly-formed bruise and glared at Fang, who was smirking in amusement.

"What?" I growled.

"Nothing," he paused. "I'm getting a feeling that that heart is near here. Don't you?" I stopped and calmed down to focus. I could hear the faint thumping of a heart in my head; usually I wouldn't unless it was the golden one. I whipped my head back and forth, causing my brown bangs to fall in front of my eyes.

"Idiot," Fang muttered and rolled his eyes. "Stop looking so obvious."

I narrowed my eyes at him again. "Doesn't matter. C'mon, let's find the kid before Max does."

"Max does _what_?" I froze. Only one person sounds like that and it's...

_Max_.

"Look, just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that I can't whoop your skinny butt into next week," she stood before me with one hip cocked and hands on both hips. I stared at her in confusion and rubbed my eyes. She's _Lumina_, not Max.

"Lumina?"

"Duh. Listen, I want in. Whatever you're doing, whoever this 'Max' chick is, I want in." Lumina leaned forward intimidatingly. "Got it?"

"No can do."

"What?" Lumina growled and turned her attention to Fang. "Why?"

"Be_cause_ I said so."

She huffed. "You're so immature."

"And you're so nosy. This is our business. Do leave us alone to it," Fang shot back.

Lumina shrugged. "I'm just saying. You could be losing a _very_ important asset for all you care."

I doubted it, but hey, we needed all the help we could get. "You're in."

"Cool," she said at the same time when Fang said, "What?"

"She's in," I repeated myself. Then, I told her our whole story- just without the parts about us being Angels, my sister being a Demon, and the special kid. Basically, I told her a white-lie.

"So you need to get this golden locket from a kid? Because it's a family heirloom? But you have no clue who this kid is, and you have family members competing over it?" Lumina did a recap, and I nodded after every question.

"Pretty much."

"That sounds pretty stupid," she crossed her arms over her chest.

_Damn_. "Hey, it's my life. Not yours." I never was terrific at lying. Hence, I'm the Angel. Max was always the better liar, being the Demon.

She waved it off. "Sure, sure, whatever. Let's get started."

* * *

After school, Fang and I dragged Lumina around the state to search. As we got closer to Newtown, Connecticut, the feeling got stronger. We reached this elementary school called Sandy Hook Elementary School, and we took a break. The feelings were strongest here.

We finally settled under a large, shady tree when an ear-piercing scream shattered into my eardrums. Lumina abruptly sat up and ran in the direction of the scream. Fang and I shared a glance that said _Is she crazy?_ and followed after her. She was fast, I gotta admit it, I had a tiny problem with keeping up with her speed.

I almost stopped short when I heard several loud shots. _Gunshots_. Then I sprinted even faster. I was panting like crazy, but I was too focused on finding Lumina. She could've gotten into danger for all I know.

Surprisingly, I found Max there instead of the raven-haired girl I was looking for. Instantaneously, I changed my features back to my original ones. Fang did the same.

"What're you doing here, Max?" She looked as surprised as I was.

She pointed above her head. "I was scoping out the place from the skies."

_Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! _

Max's head shot up. In a split second, she was gone with a trail of dust behind her. Groaning, I chased after her. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop with shock all over her face.

The faint thumping of the golden heart grew even louder. I whipped my head to face a 2nd grade class, and the thumping was the loudest it's ever been. I was looking straight at two blonde kids. One was a girl, and the other was a boy. They seemed to be related, with their close proximity and similar features and all.

_Bang! Bang!_

The little girl covered her head with her hands. Her older brother, I'm assuming, wrapped his arms around her and tugged her to the ground. I found the gunman pointing his gun toward the two and was about to tackle him when a flash of strawberry blonde pushed me to the side.

Max kicked the gun out of the man's hands and growled at him. He whimpered and his features shifted to a much, much darker one. Was he a demon too? One of Dad's underlings, probably. Max must've thought the same because then she lifted him off of the ground using his shirt collar.

"Why are you here?" She snarled. "Shooting innocents is pathetic. Even for _you_."

She dropped him back onto the ground and he stuttered out, "My lord sent me. He located the child much quicker than you, and ordered me to eliminate them. Please, Princess, don't hurt me. I have a wife and a daughter back down."

Max spit on the spot in front of him. "Disgusting. Do whatever you want. But do _not_ murder any more innocents."

He winced and nodded. Max turned her back to him. Immediately, the man reached for his gun and pointed it at the children again.

_Bang!_

His last bullet left the gun and would've made it straight into the little girl's heart if not for the brave teacher that protected her. Max stomped on the man's shooting hand, and he yelled out in pain. I muttered a chant to help the female teacher make it to Heaven immediately for her courageous deed. I heard Max mumble something that must've summoned the man away because he disappeared.

Cursing under her breath, Max lifted her head to stare at the blonde kids. She took a step forward, and the boy pulled the girl behind him and bravely stepped in front of her.

"What do you want?" He asked loudly, rudely, protectively, and stupidly. Doesn't he know that Max could take his life if she wanted to?

Max merely gave him a ghost of a smile. "I'm Max. What's your name?"

"None of your business."

The girl moved beside him. "Please forgive him. He's Gazzy."

Max bent down to the girl's height. "And who are you, little one?"

The little girl's blue eyes gazed into Max's. "My name's Angel. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

* * *

**Author's Note: **How was it? I added the ending last minute... After I heard the news about the shooting in Newtown. I felt really bad for those kids and those parents. The kids are innocents who shouldn't have to experience that yet, and hopefully never again. I give my condolences to those of you reading this and have lost a family member or close friend in that shooting.

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	7. The Guardian

**Author's Note: **How was your New Year, guys? We survived another year, lol! And, readers, I only got 2 reviews. That really disappointed me. I thought I'd get a teensy bit more than that. Oh well. I have to update the next chapter. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **No. Not mine. Sorry.

* * *

**Devious Deceit**

**Chapter 7: The Guardian**

**Gazzy POV **

Who were these people? That weird girl made the shooter shoot himself and poof! He disappeared!

Angel, as innocent and sweet as she is, made a mistake with telling the strangers our names. _Stupid_, I grumbled. _Now these people are gonna stalk us around too. _I've had enough of the random strangers trying to hurt Angel and me. I'm her older brother; it's my job to protect Angel from anything and everything.

The strawberry blonde girl introduced herself as Max.

_ Isn't Max a boy's name? _I thought. Angel discreetly elbowed me. Fun fact: Angel can read minds. It's been a little tidbit of hers since she was born. If she knew someone's name and what they looked like, she could read their minds. She reads mine all the time.

I was skilled with knives and bombs, funny enough. I could fight off anyone and anything with the pocket knife I always had. I learned to carry it around when Angel was almost kidnapped on the playground last month. Luckily, I brought it to school for show-and-tell that day, and I lashed out at the guy with a dark aura when he grabbed Angel's shirt sleeve.

Angel nudged my ribs this time, and I realized that I hadn't been listening to what they were talking about.

_Pay attention,_ she said. _The strawberry blonde guy's called Iggy; he's Max's brother. The raven haired guy's Fang, Iggy's BFF._

_Thanks, _I told her._ Sorry 'bout that. I zoned out._

_I know. _I heard a little giggle.

"So, kid, what're your special talents?"

I snapped my head up at the question and quirked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Well," Fang replied. "Your sister said that she's pretty good at poker. What about you?"

"I like making bombs. They're fun," I said.

"Hilarious, Iggy. There's a mini you here," Max said dryly.

Iggy grinned. "I'm a pyromaniac extraordinaire. You name it, I've made it."

"Really? Awesome!" I smiled. "Maybe I can help you with the next one?"

Iggy scrunched up his eyebrows. "I dunno, kid. They're huge explosives. Big bombs make big booms. Dangerous."

"I know. I'm not an idiot. I've done this before," I rolled my eyes.

He shrugged. "Why not? No harm done."

I grinned. "Thanks, bro. This'll be epic!"

_Gazzy. I'm gonna ask them. _Angel decided.

I nearly screamed. _What? No! Are you crazy, Ange?! Who knows if we can trust them!_

_It's fine, Gasman. I've been snooping around their minds. They know something about it. They can help me. And you._

Before I could stop her, Angel asked, "Do you guys know anything about a golden heart? Like pure gold?"

I swear I saw something glint in Max's eyes. "I do," she replied.

Angel had an eager look in her eyes. "Really? What?"

"For one thing," Max replied. "I know that you're the one that has the gold heart."

We both froze. "What? What're you talking about?" Angel laughed nervously. "I don't have a gol-"

"Don't lie to me. I can sense you're lying. Those who lie a lot go to Hell. I would know," Max said seriously.

I quickly pulled Angel behind me. "What do you want with her?"

I took out my pocket knife and flicked out the blade. It shined dangerously in the sunlight. I glanced at Iggy and Fang; they were just standing there, watching this scene play out. I almost growled at them for not doing anything to help. I wanted to shout for them to do something for us. To save us from Max if she goes haywire.

But they weren't doing anything.

"Nothing, really. I just wanted some information about the heart. Nothing major," Max said.

_She's lying! She's gonna hurt us, Gaz! _Angel screamed in my mind.

"I know that playing poker isn't your special talent, Angel. There are quirks with having a golden heart, you know. Likei powers. Like mind reading. Like super strength or super speed. But I can tell you're not going to be that fast or strong, since your older brother protects you from dangers. So I'm guessing that you have the gift of mind reading," Max continued. I could feel Angel tense beside me.

"And you, Gazzy," Max turned her sharp gaze to me. "I bet you're good at building bombs. You weren't lying about that. But there's a little something extra to your specialties, isn't there? The way you're holding your knife with that perfect posture shows me that you've had some experience handling and using your pocket knife. Or really, to an extent, knives in general. You've got skills in using it."

Iggy and Fang both raised an eyebrow, as if this was news to them.

Max kept on talking. "You're her Guardian, didn't you know? You'll always protect her. You'd even _die_ protecting Angel. And sadly for you Gasman, but I know that you're death is nearing. And you know it too. You've just kept it hidden from your little sister, just so that you wouldn't worry her."

I remained silent. She was right. I couldn't argue with the truth.

"I'm right, aren't I? You're such a go-"

"Shut up!" I roared. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! It's none of your business, okay? Angel's my responsibility, and I'll always protect her! Ever since Mom and Dad died trying to protect her, that job passed on to me. Just leave it."

Talking about my parents made my eyes sting. Angel knew that. She was just a little girl, and I was going under training with my parents to ensure Angel's safety from demons that'll try to kill her. They told me that I had to find a couple of Angels who will help me, but I doubt I'll find any now.

"H-how'd you know? We never told a-anybody about my heart or our talents," Angel stuttered. She must've been scared that Max suddenly had all this information on us.

Max ignored Angel. "I can help you."

Angel, luckily, was suspicious and weary of Max this time around. "How?"

"I heard that you've been attacked almost every day since they figured out that you had the golden heart. I can help protect you from that."

"But Gazzy's already my Guardian! I don't need anybody else!"

"Haven't you noticed that he's been jumpier than usual? He's probably tiring out from doing it all the time. He's not Super Man or anything. Gazzy needs to rest. I can protect you when he's resting. Then Iggy can help. And Fang can too. After resting a while, Gazzy can take over for as long as he can stay standing without getting sleepy or dizzy. Deal?" Max offered.

Angel took a look at me, biting her lip. _Should I? _she asked. _I don't know what to do._

_Go ahead. I'm gonna try trusting her. She probably won't hurt you if we can make her fond of us._

Angel nodded. "You got a deal."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Woo! I'm on a roll! I know, I know, Iggy and Fang aren't really significant in this chapter, ha ha. Sorry! But I thought it might be better if the Demon offered instead of the Angels.

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